7 Trends for Tweens and Near-Tweens

They’re not your precious little babies, but they’re not quite teens. Shopperati can help you steer them through the precarious waters of shopping for school with seven trend suggestions:

1. Jeans To Rival Teens’ - Get used to the idea of jeans every day for school, and plan to buy several pairs. There are plenty to pick from, and lots of cuts (from wide-legged to flare to skinny to boot-cut) that will certainly please the pickiest girl or boy.

2. Everything Old is New (in Ts) Again - T-shirts are still the school staple, and there are plenty of themes to consider, from Jonas Brothers or Hanna Montana for the younger girls, to Volcom or Quiksilver or rocker Ts for the boys. Stock up on these also, and buy some plain long-sleeved Ts to layer under them for fall.

3. Layers Upon Layers - It’s a fashion adage when the weather gets cold, but now the kids have lots of options. There are layered Ts, regular vests or puffy vests, classic white under a vest, cardigans or hoodies for boys and girls.

4. Preppy, Skater or Just Plain Boy - They may be wanting to strike a pose, so consider a variety of styles to let them express themselves. There are lots of options on the Web, from big-box retailers to Web-only stores. Sit with him and let him show you what he likes.

5. Ruffles, Plaids or Preppy Girl - If you can pry her out of those jeans and Ts, try to entice her with a girlie look (that means a dress), a ruffled blouse with a skirt or pants, or a preppie style with polo or striped tops and cute argyle cardigans.

6. Leggings and Bangles, Belts and Caps - There are so many accessory trends and tidbits out there it’s tough to touch on them all, but for girls, tights and capri leggings, bangles, messenger caps, cute totes and bows for the hair (a very trendy look even for older girls). Boys are easier to please, so try a braided leather bracelet, a cute leather belt, a cool cap or two and maybe a rugby-striped scarf.

7. Finally, the feet - You’ve got three basic categories: sneakers, boots and, well, girlie shoes (because they’re really in a shoe category of their own). Converse and Nike are hot for boys and girls, dock shoes for a preppy touch for boys and ballet flats for the girls. Boots for girls are rubber and colorful, great for wet weather.

Want to read more, and see examples of all the trends? Go to the story at Shopperati, or read all of Shopperati’s back-to-school stories.